Well, we could be. I've definitely had that feeling this season, that we could have a losing season for the first time in a long time. It just doesn't feel right. Seems like the players are lacking desire.

But then again, we got bitch-slapped the first game last season and came back with a decent run.

As I recall '76 Steelers with all that talent started 1-4. So a slow start can be turned around.

Well boys, we can't top the long losing period of the Steelers from the founding of the club until Chuck Noll arrived. Does anyone remember the Steelers in the 1960s and prior? I would guess that I and Pommah are the only old farts to know the days when the Steelers were about like the Bungholes of today. You couldn't give away a Steeler ticket back then. Thankfully were are only bitching about shit that can be fixed, we don't have a dysfunctional fucked up franchise.

One thing I think is missing on D is that vocal leader that fires everyone up; so much so that guys looked like they are ready to run through a brick wall! There isn't a guy you can really point to that has filled that void when Porter left. Harrison is really not that type of rah-rah leader, Troy talks like he is in church, and Foote has never been that guy either. It annoys the hell out of me to see Ray-Ray fire up his defense because I keep thinking that is what we're missing. I think it is definately an uderrated part of the game, especially on defense.

Before 1972 you could walk up to the stadium at game time and buy a ticket for face value. My dad could afford season's tickets as a high schooler in the 50's. I was only vaguely aware that the Steelers existed in the 60's. Roberto Clemente was every kid's hero, maybe Starg or Sangy. Not a Steeler.

While the team appears disappointing so far, it seems improbable to me they will finish below .500. They have Roethlisberger. It's a QB's game and we have one of the best. If he gets hurt and misses games, well then yeah. Once Bradshaw figured out how to play the pro game after coming from a podunk school, he never had a losing season. Ben won't either. Enjoy his reign while it lasts because it could be 20 years between super bowl caliber QB's.

The smartest coach in pro football is Bellichick. He will retire when Tom Brady does so that his genius rep stays intact. There is only one coach who has been able to win multiple super bowls (or even NFL championships, I believe) without a hall of fame quarterback. Absolutely nothing beats a QB who knows how to win, and most of the time it's not a stats leader. It's BR7 to a T.

I do agree, however, our speed on defense is the big hole on the team right now. We can still stop an opposing offense at the goal line, but will give up the 70 yard run if spread thin.

Our defense has a few superstars and a bunch of stiffs. And Pola is in the down side of his career. This could be the start of a losing period for the Stillers, if our drafts continue to underperform. Which is the scariest trend of all.

exactly! well put SD. Len and S76 had good points as well and matter of fact, listen to most koolaid free analysts and you will hear the same thing. SoCal - you will not begin the recovery process until you take step one - admit you are powerless over Koolaid.

This has been mentioned but the offense *can* score points. IMO, the season doesn't necessarily flush down the drain on that account. BUT, while talented in the passing game, the O lacks any running presence which is worrisome. Couple that with the fact that the D hasn't been showing up on the road or in the 4th quarter, and the road appears to be a tough one ahead.

I am concerned about the state of the defense as much as anyone, but I am trying to stay hopeful that it will come together enough to win games this season. I think we all agree that the offense will need to carry the D when facing the league's better teams. While I don't think the return of Harrison and Troy suddenly makes them a great D, I do believe that their impact has been understated here. It will be interesting to revisit this conversation in a few weeks and see where things stand.

Well, all hands on deck for the steagles game, apparently. We'll see how much better the D looks. Also, SoCal, I wanted to point out that you mentioned earlier in this thread that the Oakland game was a fumble or two away from being won and we wouldn't be having this conversation. While I agree that the Oakland game was literally one play away from going differently, I would still be having this conversation anyway. It's not the 1-2 record that concerns me. We have had slow starts before (I seem to remember starting 0-1 in Ben's inaugural season and that worked out pretty well, record-wise, at least.) 2-1 or 1-2 doesn't make a difference, really. It's how we have played, how we have looked, and what appears to be a lack of talent waiting in the wings. I, too, have high hopes that they can get it together, start gelling as a team, and getting fired up on D. I simply don't see much evidence of that being likely. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

You're right, isfry, we would probably be still having this conversation, but the tone would surely be different at 2-1 rather than 1-2. I think we all agree that this current team will have to win similar to the way the Saints did during their SB season. The difference is that the Saints D was much better at creating turnovers.

isfry wrote:Well, all hands on deck for the steagles game, apparently. We'll see how much better the D looks. Also, SoCal, I wanted to point out that you mentioned earlier in this thread that the Oakland game was a fumble or two away from being won and we wouldn't be having this conversation. While I agree that the Oakland game was literally one play away from going differently, I would still be having this conversation anyway. It's not the 1-2 record that concerns me. We have had slow starts before (I seem to remember starting 0-1 in Ben's inaugural season and that worked out pretty well, record-wise, at least.) 2-1 or 1-2 doesn't make a difference, really. It's how we have played, how we have looked, and what appears to be a lack of talent waiting in the wings. I, too, have high hopes that they can get it together, start gelling as a team, and getting fired up on D. I simply don't see much evidence of that being likely. I sincerely hope I'm wrong.

Thats right isfry, its how we have been playing. Its the tune we are whistling, its the knitting that we haven't tended to, I could go on and on. Point is - we should have BLOWN OAKIE OUT. NO WAY, we are able to compete with the likes of what many athl;etes around the leaugue are doing NO WAY. Not with Kiesel face down in the dirt, Casper the ghost being invisible somewhere, Hood jogging about doing NOTHING, ground game getting 50 yards, coaches caling poor schemes and making lousy FKG decisions.

I think the O will get a semblance of running game, but the inability to stop opponents on D will make the use of running less opportune. Defense is aged, scheme is Not good for the personnel we have thus I see us hovering close to 8:8 season most years in the next 2-5 year period.

At the end I see br7 retiring, thus rendering our O average. I just hope by then we have a decent DC who has shored up the D, while the search for the future franchise qb is on.

So to answer to the OP, I think we'll be an OK team, just not SB contenders anymore in next 5 years at least.

I hope I have to come back and eat those words. I just don't see us scaring anyone anymore. Even with kordel ppl hated playing us.

SoCal Stiller wrote:You're right, isfry, we would probably be still having this conversation, but the tone would surely be different at 2-1 rather than 1-2. I think we all agree that this current team will have to win similar to the way the Saints did during their SB season. The difference is that the Saints D was much better at creating turnovers.

That's fair, SoCal. You're probably right that the imminent falling of the sky might not seem quite so imminent, were the Stillers tied for first in a division, and a league, with a lot of middle of the pack talent. I guess it just highlights our woes that we can't even get to "middle of the pack" status, and it concerns me for the future, near and not so near. I will gladly admit my poor prediction skills, should the return of some guys this weekend invigorate a team that has been, so far, lackluster to say the least.

There is now NO upside note. There is NOTHING to lead anyone to believe that anything on the player or coaching side of this team is positive. Oakland and now Tennesee. It was a shitfest out there tonight. I saw NOTHING

PGHeaven wrote:There is now NO upside note. There is NOTHING to lead anyone to believe that anything on the player or coaching side of this team is positive. Oakland and now Tennesee. It was a shitfest out there tonight. I saw NOTHING

So for the "it's too early" crowd; Do you think after losing to not 1, but 2 glorified NFL AAA Teams in the first 5 games, it's still "too early" to call???

Defense is as important as it once was in the NFL. But consider that the Steelers defense hasn't even stopped mediocre quarterbacks this year. Defense now in the NFL has to get one or two crucial stops because the offense has too many advantages. When the time comes for those few crucial stops, have the Steelers gotten them? Fuck no.

Now the injuries are piling up. Will the Steelers be able to put together any semblance of an offensive line soon? That looked like a high ankle sprain for Pouncy. Gilbert seems to lay down on the field every game. Starks rarely makes it through a whole season. So even the offense will be in trouble.

And they can't win on the road, losing to even the shittiest teams.

No not to early to think this season and this team in general is in trouble.

Re-reading what I wrote above - it REALLY sounds prophetic! Think like this - what is our W/L without BR7? this season!

This is a really, REALLY - one old bad team with obsolete scheme on D, and poor OLine.

Bad job should be seen from the front office (CC) to Tomlin, OC/DC and esp Spec. teams. Also - wtf is with our scouts, trainers, doctors, and the rest - so MANY players being hurt... EVERY YEAR? Do they do their jobs right? Seriously.

This is now turning into "raiders" team without the mouth-running, and arrests. I am disgusted with the play, playcalling, ineptitude, effort, technique, and leadership... among other things.

BoltX wrote:Re-reading what I wrote above - it REALLY sounds prophetic! Think like this - what is our W/L without BR7? this season!

This is a really, REALLY - one old bad team with obsolete scheme on D, and poor OLine.

Bad job should be seen from the front office (CC) to Tomlin, OC/DC and esp Spec. teams. Also - wtf is with our scouts, trainers, doctors, and the rest - so MANY players being hurt... EVERY YEAR? Do they do their jobs right? Seriously.

This is now turning into "raiders" team without the mouth-running, and arrests. I am disgusted with the play, playcalling, ineptitude, effort, technique, and leadership... among other things.

I think of glory teams of the past that have fallen, the Raiders and to a lesser degree the Cowboys..... One realizes if the culture of winning goes away, it is so difficult to get it back. I think the only team that was fortunate to recover was the Packers.

I will also say this: I think the problem is more Colbert than Tomlin. (Although that opinion might change after next season.) The Steelers' success has mainly been through the draft, but that trend has gone strongly in the wrong direction. If the Steelers' next draft is another bust-fest, Colbert should be sent packing.